ES2383823T3 - Device for cleaning teeth with a handle part and an attachable cleaning tool, both adapted to send and receive data - Google Patents

Abstract

The teeth cleaning method uses an electric toothbrush having a handle (1) incorporating an electric drive, used for operation of alternate cleaning heads (2) fitted to the handle. Each of the cleaning heads has a specific coding which is read upon coupling to the handle, for corresponding control of different functions of the toothbrush. Also included are Independent claims for the following: (a) a handle for an electric toothbrush; (b) a cleaning head for an electric toothbrush; (c) an electric toothbrush.

Description

Device for cleaning teeth with a handle part and a attachable cleaning tool, both adapted to send and receive data

The present description refers to a dental cleaning device in the form of an electric dental cleaning device to whose handle part several cleaning tools for the individual dental cleaning of the users of the electric dental cleaning device are coupled. The present description also relates to the handle part of an electric dental cleaning device, especially a toothbrush, which has a coupling part for coupling to various cleaning tools, a drive mechanism for operating the coupled cleaning tool respective and a control device. Finally, the present description refers to cleaning tools, especially brush accessories, for such a handle part.

A handle part according to the preamble of claim 1 and a cleaning tool according to the preamble of claim 5, are already known from US-6,193,510 B1. This publication refers to a device for applying dental filling material for dental repair, using a light for curing the filling material. In this regard, a replaceable light guide is used, which can be attached to the handle, the light being applied to the treated area of the teeth containing the dental filling material to accelerate the hardening of the filling. Replaceable light guides of this type are difficult to sterilize properly, so that there is a need to inform the user of this device that the replaceable light guide should be replaced. With this objective, the replaceable light guide is provided with a bar code which, when the light guide is attached to the handle, is detected by a handle reading device. When a new code is detected for the first time, a timer is activated and subsequently adds periods of use of the light guide provided with the new code, deactivating the handle when the maximum use period expires. The handle can only be activated again once another light guide has been connected with another new code. If a light guide with a previously detected code is attached to the handle again, a check is made as to whether the period of admissible use has expired or not. As long as the maximum use period has not yet expired, the device can continue to operate with this same light guide until the predetermined maximum use period has expired, at which time the handle goes back to a "deactivated" state. Therefore, the fundamental concept that underlies the device according to US-6,193,510 B1 consists in measuring and adding the useful life of the replaceable element that comes into contact with the user and, once the maximum use period has expired , indicate that the element must be replaced. In addition, this publication contains references to similar ideas that are applicable in other medical devices with replaceable user-specific elements. The examples mentioned herein are electric toothbrushes and oral irrigation suppliers.

In general, dental cleaning devices, such as electric toothbrushes or electric oral irrigators, have a handle or handle part to which various cleaning tools, such as brush accessories, can be attached, thus allowing multiple users They can use the dental cleaning device, each with their own custom cleaning tools. Such electric toothbrushes are known, for example, from DE-19627752 A1 or EP-0624079 B1. To adapt the dental cleaning to the wishes and needs of the user, the respective user has the possibility of individually adjusting the dental cleaning parameters, such as, for example, the force of the water jet of the oral irrigators or the speed of the accessories of brush of electric toothbrushes.

In DE-299 15 858 U1 an electric dental cleaning device is disclosed in which each of the different toothbrushes can be introduced into an assigned receptacle of a console. This then starts the program for that specific toothbrush. However, it is especially difficult for children to locate the individual opening to insert their personal toothbrush and adaptively attach the plug. In addition, the console is very complex to manufacture, taking into account that it comprises a plurality of different receptacles and that each of the toothbrushes has a different pin assigned to its own receptacle.

In another device, described in US 5,184,959, each manual toothbrush is assigned its own insertion slot in a console, so that it is possible to assign to each toothbrush an individual brushing time signal through the console. This arrangement is very elaborate from a manufacturing point of view and does not allow the detection and storage of user-specific data related to the dental cleaning operation.

Such dental cleaning devices can be improved in many aspects. Specifically, it is desirable to further improve their potential adaptation to users and improve their ease of use.

Therefore, the purpose of the present description is to disclose an improved dental cleaning device, an improved handle portion of an electric dental cleaning device and improved cleaning tools therefor, which also improve dental cleaning with respect to to the state of the art and that allow to obtain

additional advantages Specifically, the objective of the present description is to improve their adaptation to individual users and improve their ease of use.

Referring to aspects related to the device, according to the present description, the above-mentioned objective is substantially achieved by a handle part of an electric dental cleaning device of the type mentioned above, by the fact that the handle part has a device of control to control a dental cleaning parameter of the dental cleaning device in response to the detected coding and a coil that functions as a transmitter and receiver unit. Referring to the cleaning tool of the type mentioned above, the objective of the present description is substantially achieved by the features of claim 5. Preferred embodiments of the present description related to the device also constitute the subject of the dependent claims.

Therefore, the handle part detects the cleaning tool that has just joined it and controls, depending on the cleaning tool detected, one or, preferably, multiple functions of the dental cleaning device. Of course, taking into account that each user of the handle part uses their own personal cleaning tool, the control device of the specific handle part allows to automatically set, referring to the coding detected in the cleaning tool, which user You are currently using the dental cleaning device. No action by the user, such as touching a button or the like, is necessary to inform the dental cleaning device of its current user. In this way, it is also possible to achieve an automatic adaptation to the respective user. This results in maximum ease of use. In this case, the control device automatically adapts such operating parameters, such as the cleaning frequency, the cleaning speed and the cleaning time, or the desired threshold value or contact pressure range, to the user identified respectively. It is possible to establish and store several user profiles, one of them being applied by the control device once the coding of the cleaning device has been detected at the start of the cleaning operation, and the respective user being determined in this way. For this purpose, the coding detection device sends a signal corresponding to the control device. By using electric toothbrushes, it is possible to reduce the motor speed when a child is the user compared to the usual motor speed for adults, so that the child experiences a softer dental cleaning ability. In addition, the control device allows the duration of a timer to be varied according to the user identified in response to a signal from the coding detection device, by setting the timer to two minutes, for example, in the case of children, and to three minutes for adults. The type of timer signal could also be modified, for example, by selecting a melody for children and a buzzing tone for adults.

In another embodiment of the description, it is also possible to automatically store user-specific data, such as the cleaning frequency, the cleaning speed, the cleaning time, the time interval between cleaning operations or the application pressure, in response to a corresponding signal from the detection device, and to process and, for example, display the data on a screen. This also results in better comfort for the user.

Therefore, the respective user is identified or indirectly determined by the handle part by referring to the cleaning tool used or its coding, since each user is definitely assigned one or more cleaning tools thereof. With this objective, cleaning tools, which on the other hand may have an identical structure, may have user-specific coding elements.

It is also possible to use a specific function control, depending on the type of cleaning tool used. For example, it is possible to automatically vary the operating parameters of the handle part when using a brush accessory with specific properties, such as high or reduced stiffness. Likewise, it is possible to execute another operating program by attaching a cleaning tool of a different type to the handle part, such as, for example, an interproximal cleaning tool, a massaging device or a tongue cleaner. The speed of rotation, the desired cleaning time, the drive movement, the cleaning frequency, the cleaning speed, the application pressure threshold, etc., can be adapted appropriately in response to the cleaning tool and / or to the individual user.

Furthermore, by identifying an individual cleaning tool, it is possible to establish its degree of wear, for example, by determining and evaluating the number of previous uses or the time of the cleaning operations of the specific cleaning tool. In the case of cleaning tools with chemical additives, their "use before" date can be identified by the date of manufacture hidden in the code. It is also possible to indicate default cleaning or maintenance intervals.

Several ways are possible to detect the coding arranged directly in the cleaning tools and to code the cleaning tools.

According to the present description, the coding detection device operates without contact. This design has the advantage of avoiding failures due to contaminated contact surfaces or wear due to frequent joining and separating operations.

According to the present description, the handle part includes a signal receiver or reactive element to receive an encoded signal from the cleaning tool. The handle part also includes a signal transmitter or active element to issue an interrogation or activation signal to the cleaning tool, which responds by returning the coded signal. The emission of the coded signal by the cleaning tool can take place actively by transmitting a corresponding signal.

According to the present description, an electrical operation detection device is used to detect an electrical coding of the respective attached cleaning tool. The cleaning tool sends an encoded electrical signal to the handle part or to a signal receiver disposed therein, thereby allowing the identification of the respective user or the respective cleaning tool. It is also possible that the handle part initially sends an interrogation signal to the cleaning tool, which is encoded by the cleaning tool and subsequently returned.

According to the present description, a radio device is used to detect the respective attached cleaning tool by electromagnetic waves, a transponder being associated with the cleaning tool. The handle part initially emits electromagnetic waves to supply energy to the transponder. The transponder stores the energy and returns an individual identification to the detector of the handle part, which detects it and identifies correspondingly the respective user or cleaning tool. Therefore, the cleaning tool is characterized by the arrangement of an electromagnetic coding device. It is also characterized by a signal receiver to receive a signal from the handle part and a signal transmitter to send an encoded signal to the handle part, an encoding device being connected to encode a received signal between the receiver of signal and signal transmitter.

Preferably, the coding device is formed as an integral part of the cleaning tool. However, it can also be designed as a separate component suitable for separation with respect to the remaining part of the cleaning tool or for replacement. The advantage obtained thanks to this is that only a single mold is necessary to manufacture the cleaning tool. When mounting the separate coding device, the cleaning tools are individually coded and can be assigned to a specific user.

Preferably, the coding device is disposed in the area of the connection between the cleaning tool and the handle part. This facilitates the reading of the coding by the coding detection device in the handle part. Specifically, the coding device can be integrated in a ring disposed at the end of the cleaning tool next to the handle part which, specifically, can snap into it.

In summary, the present disclosure discloses an electric drive toothbrush having a handle part and one or more user-specific accessories, for example, brush accessories or the like, in which a communication occurs between the part of handle and the brush part attached to the handle part. The brush parts or cleaning tools may have several designs, for example, a toothbrush for a child with softer bristles, a toothbrush for an adult with stiffer bristles, an interproximal brush or the like, where each of the Cleaning tools, optionally designed differently for different cleaning functions, are also assigned to a specific user. In this way, a handle part is used that can be used by each user and to which specific user cleaning tools are attached with an equal or different design for the care or dental cleaning of a respective user with the help of the tool

or user specific tools. Cleaning tools include an active element or an encoding that communicates with a reactive element or an encoding detection device in the handle portion. Therefore, by proper design of the active element or elements or of the coding device of the cleaning tool, it is possible to inform the handle part, by means of a communication between the coding device and the coding detection device, which User-specific cleaning tool, whether an interproximal cleaning tool, a toothbrush or other cleaning tool, is currently attached to the handle part. This possibility of detecting user specific data

or cleaning tool of the respective cleaning tool attached to the handle part allows to achieve the prerequisite that the handle part can operate the attached cleaning tool based on the specific user or the specific cleaning tool. Therefore, for example, it is possible to adjust the cleaning period, the cleaning speed or similar specific cleaning parameters based on the specific user and the specific cleaning by means of the handle part. In addition, it is possible to detect specific user and cleaning tool data with respect to the cleaning operation, said data being able, for example, to be stored in user specific or cleaning tool memories of the handle part or being able to be indicated on a screen

Other objectives, advantages, features and applications of the present description are derived from the following description of several illustrative embodiments, with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric toothbrush that has a handle part and a brush attachment that can be attached thereto,

Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the handle part of the electric toothbrush of Figure 1, showing the housing thereof and, arranged therein, the drive motor with the gears and the drive shaft, and the accumulator for the drive motor, as well as the charging module for the accumulator,

Figure 3 is a schematic view of an electric toothbrush with a transponder that is associated with an electromagnetically coded brush accessory and with a corresponding sensing device in the handle part according to the present description,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the toothbrush of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of a toothbrush similar to that of Figures 3 and 4, showing the arrangement of a transponder chip in a coding ring disposed at the end of the brush accessory and a transmitter and receiver coil together with an associated electronic evaluation device in the handle part, in which the brush attachment is shown attached to the handle part.

The electric toothbrush shown in the figures has a handle part 1 with a closed housing 26 which, as shown in Figure 2, houses, among other things and in a manner known in the art, an electric motor 23, an accumulator 24 designed for connection to a charging station through a charging module 25 disposed at the bottom, and a control device 27, which may have a printed circuit board or a microprocessor. It is possible to mount several brush accessories 2 on the end of the handle part 1. By means of a coupling device 3, the brush accessory 2 can be mechanically coupled to the handle part 1 to transmit the driving movement of the electric motor to the bristle head 4 of the brush accessory 2. The coupling 3 has a positive coupling element to properly position the body of the cleaning tool and a drive coupling that transmits the drive movement of the drive to the bristle head of the brush attachment. A drive shaft 28 protrudes from the end of the handle part 1 and is adapted to be driven by a drive motor 23 through gears 29, in a manner also known in the art. The drive shaft 28 has a coupling part 30 adapted to receive by coupling a complementary coupling part of a drive shaft arranged in the cleaning tool 2, so that the drive movement is transmitted, allowing the head 31 of bristles of the brush accessory be operated oscillatingly.

To identify the brush attachment 2 attached respectively, a coding detection device 5 is used in the handle portion.

Figures 3 to 5 show an illustrative embodiment of an electric toothbrush in which the respective brush accessory 2 is detected or identified by radio signals. The brush accessory 2 is provided with a transponder 19 which can be associated by adhesion to the brush accessory 2 in the form of a label, called an intelligent label. Advantageously, the transponder 19 can also be contained in the color sliding ring 8, at the end of the brush accessory 2 (cf. Figures 3 and 5). In the handle part 1 there is arranged a detector 20 tuned to the transponder 19 and which functions as a signal transmitter and a signal receiver. The detector 20 of the handle part 1 first emits electromagnetic waves through the coil 45 to the coil 44 connected to the transponder 19 to supply power to the transponder 19 or its microchip. The transponder 19 stores the energy and returns a specific identification to the detector 20, which receives it, identifies it by means of its electronic evaluation device 46 and then sends a signal corresponding to the control device 27 of the handle part 1. Therefore, coils 44 and 45 function as a transmitter and receiver component. They are arranged opposite each other, at the ends of the brush accessory 2 and the handle part 1, respectively (cf. Fig. 5). It is possible to identify the brush accessory 2 and, thus, its user, based on the identification returned by the transponder

19.

Claims (6)

1. A handle part (1) of an electric dental cleaning device (1, 2), which has a coupling part for coupling to cleaning tools (2), especially brush accessories, and 5 which also has some drive means (23) for actuating the respective attached cleaning tools, wherein a coding detection device (5) is arranged to detect a coding of the respective cleaning tool (2) disposed on the handle part, characterized by that the handle part (1) includes a control device (27) for controlling at least one dental cleaning parameter of the dental cleaning device in response to the detected coding and a coil (45) 10 that functions as a transmitter and receiver component. 2. The handle part (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device (27) has control means for controlling operating parameters of the dental cleaning device, especially the cleaning frequency, the cleaning speed, the cleaning time and / or the threshold value or application pressure range desired in response to the detected signal. The handle part (1) according to claim 1 6 2, characterized in that the coding detection device (5) is configured to operate without contact. 4. The handle part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coding detection device (5) has an electrical or electromagnetic detection device for detecting an electrical or electromagnetic coding of the tool (2) united cleaning 20 respectively. 5. A cleaning tool, especially a brush attachment, having a coupling part for coupling to a handle part (1) preferably according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, and having a coding, characterized by that the cleaning tool (2) includes a transponder (19) and a coil (44) that function as transmitter components and 25 receiver, and why the coding comprises specific data of the cleaning tool.

6.

The cleaning tool according to claim 5, characterized in that an encoding device has a signal receiver (19; 14) for receiving a signal from the handle part (1) and a signal transmitter (19; 14) for send an encoded signal to the handle part (2).

7.

An electric dental cleaning device, especially a toothbrush, which has a part (1) of

Handle according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4 together with a cleaning tool (2) that can be attached thereto according to any one of the preceding claims 5 to 6.